Is it worth it?

[hologram]

I have a 1998 Land Rover Disco II. I have owned it for 5 years. 3 years ago I had to have the head gasket replaced. Last week it started spraying coolant out of the side of the engine. It also will not start, just tries to turn over but never starts. (I'm not really mechanic skilled myself) I have read that the V8 engine is crap and is not worth fixing because it will do the same thing again. I love the Rover, but is it worth having it fixed?

Any other suggestions or advice?

It has a 2 inch lift, nothing major, just enough to play in the mountains with the family.

Thanks,
Seth

 

[sedat]

Is it worth it to you? that is the question.


From what you've said, it sounds to me like its time to get a jeep, or a toyota.

 

[hologram]

The problem is I have a broken Jeep too. the jeep is "stinky" and "Rough" according to my wife. The Rover is more of the family camping vehicle, where the Jeep is my Moab toy. The question is if I spend the money fixing the Motor, will it last long enough to make it worth it or will the motor crap out again in a year or two?

 

[Tugela]

The answer is, of course, "it depends." What do you mean by "having it fixed"? A shop quoted me $2,400 to perform head gasket replacement a few years back. I did it myself for a fraction of that and the repair has stood up fine for 4 years. There is a wealth of resources on this site to help with the job and many folks here have done the project themselves for between $500 - $800. You say you aren't mechanically inclined but that doesn't mean that you and a buddy couldn't knock out the job with the right preparation.

If your head gaskets are failing a second time it could be because the job wasn't done properly the first time. It's not a difficult repair but it's time-consuming and there are lots of things that will cause problems later if not done correctly.

It's hard to make rational decisions about Land Rovers. If we only thought of these trucks like we're Mr. Spock nobody would own one because logic dictates that a Toyota is a more reliable choice. If driving the Discovery brings you happiness and no other vehicle makes you feel the same way then the decision isn't about repairing the truck, it's about choosing your happiness.

You could also be dating a supermodel that you like being seen with because it makes your friends insanely envious. She is a knockout in bed but is also a total bitch and makes you pay for everything- plus she has expensive tastes. Is putting up with bullshit in one department worth the benefits in the other? A relationship with a Land Rover is not very different.

 

[Brockflock]

I have to agree with Tegula. FYI, the only vehicle I have ever extensively worked on is my Disco I (BTW, DII's started at 1999.5). And boy, have I done lots: It's on its 3rd suspension, I've redone and upgraded the brakes to slotted-drilled-vented front rotors all with EBC pads, and yes, I have done the head gaskets my self (with some help from my wife - yeah you read that right!). Before the Disco, the most I had ever done was change spark plugs, oil and fillters. My head gasket job is three years old now, and holding fine. You can aslo ask PT SCHRAM for help and for parts. Let's face it, as is, your Rover is worth almost nothing. So what do you have to lose other than a few bucks and some very useful learning by giving it a try?

 

[Tugela]

Let's face it, as is, your Rover is worth almost nothing. So what do you have to lose other than a few bucks and some very useful learning by giving it a try?

This is an excellent point.

 

[hologram]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Dane!]

... You could also be dating a supermodel that you like being seen with because it makes your friends insanely envious. She is a knockout in bed but is also a total bitch and makes you pay for everything- plus she has expensive tastes. Is putting up with bullshit in one department worth the benefits in the other? A relationship with a Land Rover is not very different.

This.

 

[p m]

It's hard to make rational decisions about Land Rovers. If we only thought of these trucks like we're Mr. Spock nobody would own one because logic dictates that a Toyota is a more reliable choice. If driving the Discovery brings you happiness and no other vehicle makes you feel the same way then the decision isn't about repairing the truck, it's about choosing your happiness.

You could also be dating a supermodel that you like being seen with because it makes your friends insanely envious. She is a knockout in bed but is also a total bitch and makes you pay for everything- plus she has expensive tastes. Is putting up with bullshit in one department worth the benefits in the other? A relationship with a Land Rover is not very different.

Ho used to be express the same thought a lot shorter, but this must go into DWeb Hall of Fame.
Too bad we don't have one

 

[sodemandisco1]

small block 350 swap!!

 

[p m]

small block 350 swap!!

You must be still receiving JCWhitney and Summit Racing catalogs in the mail.

 

[listerdiesel]

Properly sorted, the Rover V8 is a pretty good engine, but it's an old design that has a few design flaws.

The issue with most of them is that they become affordable when the owners who bought them new cannot afford the repair bills.

We have three Land Rovers in the family, 2 D2 V8's and a 200tdi Defender CSW.

Get hold of RAVE for a start, take good advice from the forum and get stuck in.

Peter

 

[Brockflock]

I like the small block 350 swap idea. Is there a list somewhere of the things that have to be addressed when doing it, like how you change wiring harnesses, ECUs, etc? I can figure out how to bolt in a different engine. It's the electrical connections (how does the dash board connect to the different engine? Getting idiot lights working, tach, etc.) That is where I would just plain fall on my face.

 

[p m]

I like the small block 350 swap idea. Is there a list somewhere of the things that have to be addressed when doing it, like how you change wiring harnesses, ECUs, etc? I can figure out how to bolt in a different engine. It's the electrical connections (how does the dash board connect to the different engine? Getting idiot lights working, tach, etc.) That is where I would just plain fall on my face.

It is a pretty stupid idea. It's been discussed ad nauseam pretty much on every LR BBS.
For one, it is illegal on a federal level - although it might be unnoticed in places with no emissions testing.
Next - ZF 4HP22 will promptly expire behind a 350, so you need either to upgrade it to HP24, or use a different transmission altogether.
Finally, now there IS a way to use Gen 3 or 4 Vortec V8 in a D1 - fully legal even in Golden State.
The cost of engine and 4L80E or 6L80E is moderate compared to the total cost of conversion.

 

[sedat]

Whine piss and moan about the costs of a HG job, but perfectly OK with the costs of a 350/4hp24 or LS/4L80e swap.

Some people make no fucking sense whatsoever.

 

[Brockflock]

Whine piss and moan about the costs of a HG job, but perfectly OK with the costs of a 350/4hp24 or LS/4L80e swap.

Some people make no fucking sense whatsoever.

To whom are you referring? The only ones who referred to it, or discussed it, weren't whining.

Take your insults somewhere else. Some of us want to discuss ideas and solutions.

 

[kennith]

Some of us want to discuss ideas and solutions.

Politicians have been saying that for years, but they never get anything done.

I can't stand the idea of dropping a 350 in anything. People buy a car and then say they want to "put a motor in it". Invariably, they mean a 350. That sentence and it's generally associated idea alone tells me a lot about the person.

Motor:

Engine:

The RV8 is reliable. Sort it out, and then change the fluids at appropriate intervals. You'll have very little trouble out of it after that.

It's a great engine with a very nice power band. Nothing else compares, in that respect, until you begin to look at straight 6 models.

Now, whether or not someone wants to fuck with repairing one is a different story entirely. That's up to the owner. If head gaskets are enough to turn you off, you may never like the vehicle.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[Devildog01]

Whine piss and moan about the costs of a HG job, but perfectly OK with the costs of a 350/4hp24 or LS/4L80e swap.

Some people make no fucking sense whatsoever.

Your last thread title had "lol" in it. This automatically makes you a douche, thereby making anything else you say worthless as tits on a bull.

 

[sedat]

I'm OK with being the resident douche. Someday I might just teach you a thing or two.
I've never started a thread here either.

Theres 6-7 non GM engines that just about drop into a slushbox truck if you can wire and weld. If you can make parts on a lathe, even more.
If you have a R380, things get really fucking narrowed down.

sticking to the rover mill you can easily get 340hp out of it. why bother with a LS at that point.

 

[p m]

sticking to the rover mill you can easily get 340hp out of it. why bother with a LS at that point.

Playing a devil's advocate here -
... because it already cranks out 340 hp, runs cool as a cucumber, and every GM dealer has every single part for it.
And it'll cost you less than getting 340 hp out of the rover mill, including six-speed GM slushbox that just doesn't break (to replace the ZF box made for mid-size cars).

But it is by no means a backwater 350 out of a junked C10.